Archinect
Michael Sechman

Michael Sechman

San Francisco, CA, US

 

About 

I believe the most common word to describe me would be a “dreamer”.  My greatest strengths are my visual abilities.  I have a keen insight and a remarkable acumen in producing design visualizations and animations.  The reason, I believe, that design visualization is such a superb outlet for my abilities is because I can pre-visualize three dimensional images from looking at two dimensional plans, elevation and sectional drawings.  I have an excellent ability to see the future.  This one talent combined with a passion to create the most stunning representations of a project make me desire and create those images from verbal instruction, an abstract construct to hyper-realism.  Hyper-realism is beyond simple photo-montage.  This is photo-realism with heart and passion.  Combined with extensive experience and new software enables almost any dream to be realized.  As new tools and methods become available then standard I am always on steep learning curve.  Every new visualization must be better than the last.

Employment 

SmithGroup, San Francisco, CA, US, Design Visualization Artist

I was contracted to create a design visualization or The SmithGroupJJR's project, HELIOS, for the University of California at Berkeley. The scope of work was to create four photo-realistic visualizations. I was responsible for the 3D construction of a Revit Project to a 3DS Max rendered with V-Ray. I was responsible for all site photography. I am the best photographer for my projects because as I have said I can pre-visualize the building in it's site. I also know that when, I will not be able to procure the absolute best background photograph, I can photograph area and elements nearby to help me create
the best possible solution. The visualization for the HELIOS project is similar to most projects. The Pipeline consist of taking a Revit Model, Importing it into 3DS Max, render the model to the point where
I will take multiple images and with the use of Photoshop create a layered construct with the ability to change the tonality....to change virtually anything in the rendering to meet the objectives set at the outset.

Jan 2012 - Feb 2012
 

Education 

University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, US, BArch, Environamental Design

Upon graduation from Los Angeles Harbor City College I entered my matriculation at the University of California, Berkeley. The areas of study ranged from structural to presentation. I excelled in the rendering of projects and was typically dubbed the go to guy for the presentation and model making capabilities.

Sep 1975 - Jun 1977
 

Awards 

Architectural Record, 1st Place

1st Place award for an animation of the Dubai International Airport, Dubai, EAU. Bechtel Aviation.

1994
 

ASAI American Society of Architectural Illustors, 1st Place

Computer renderings of the Korean Communication Center, Seoul, Korea, KMD, Architects.

1979
 

ASAI American Society of Architectural Illustors, 1st Place

Pencil on vellum Commercial High Rise at 1st and Market by KMD Architects.

1978
 

Skills